NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran on Wednesday said New Delhi and Washington were close to giving shape to acceptance of American payloads on Chandrayaan, India's lunar exploration mission set for launch in 2008.

Addressing the fourth meeting of the Indo-U.S. High-Technology Cooperation Group (HTCG) here, he said the mechanism of a dedicated working group had enabled the two sides to move forward in space cooperation.

"This meeting would start our discussions on the conclusion of a Indo-U.S. space launch agreement. We are also close to finalising the acceptance of U.S. payloads on our Chandrayaan mission. With a new licensing regime in place as a result of NSSP [Next Steps in Strategic Partnership], our space industries can work together across a broader agenda."

The conclusion of a Science and Technology Framework Agreement with an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protocol in October would allow collaborative research and joint development.

Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's July visit to Washington, Mr. Saran said the Indo-U.S. decision to resume full cooperation in civil nuclear energy opened up new commercial avenues.

"We are currently engaged in the process of implementing this understanding and I am confident that we will have progress to report in the coming months. Civil nuclear energy is one component of a larger energy dialogue between India and the U.S. that began in May 2005, covering oil and gas, clean coal technologies and non-conventional energy sources.

"The nuclear agreement has a larger implication for our high technology trade as it is premised on the U.S. recognition of India's impeccable record in non-proliferation. It not only recognises that non-proliferation is better served with India as a partner but also sends a clear message that India cannot be a partner and target of technology denial regimes at the same time."

Defence technology cooperation

Mr. Saran said the pace of cooperation in defence technology was also encouraging. Following the June 2005 New Framework of Defence Relationship, the two countries were exploring cooperation which included technology transfers, co-production, joint development and collaborative research.

"The first meeting of the Defence Procurement and Production Group earlier this month is a welcome step in this direction. Indian skills and comparative costs make themselves felt in defence applications of high technology as well and Indian companies can become active participants in the global supply chains of major defence vendors.

"In parallel, there are efforts under way to foster the growth of an Indian private sector in defence ... I am particularly glad that a private sector working group, as proposed by the November 2004 meeting, has been established and is functioning vigorously," Mr. Saran said.

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